The Northern Region TUC has once again taken on an academy organiser, this time with a specific focus on migrant workers. His name is Daniel Krzyszczak and before becoming the latest academy trainee, he was a workplace rep at Gala Casino in Sunderland. From September this year, he has been working on a placement project to develop a functioning network of Polish union reps in the region.

“When I first heard about the TUC Organising Academy in April last year, I was working in the Gala Casino in Sunderland and volunteering as a GMB representative. At about the same time, I went on a Young Members delegation to Cuba and it was this that inspired me to become more active in the union and in the community. Through my contact with Ben Sellers, who was working at the TUC as an academy organiser at the time, I heard about the ‘Made in Poland’ festival being organised in Newcastle and I spoke at the meeting on agency workers about why I joined the union and my experience in the GMB. Soon after, I went to the TUC’s Organising Academy development centre and got through – and in September I began my placement with the TUC.
The aim of my year is to try to help trade unions get in touch with Polish and other migrant workers and then to help organise them into a network, which will help those workers gain confidence to take on positions within the unions and help other migrant workers who face difficulties. On the 26th of January, Ben and I attended the ‘Organising Polish Migrant Workers’ seminar in London. This was designed as a first step in organising a national network of Polish workers. The hope is that it will help us with communication, contacts and sharing ideas – as well as breaking down language barriers and a better understanding of the needs of migrant communities.
At the event, we presented case studies from our region - our aim was to encourage debate and to show to others how important is to talk to people - especially to migrant workers and young people across the board. Many times barriers of language, age or culture can be overcome by a determination to communicate one-to-one. Often, migrant workers want know more about the trade union movement and how they can get involved, but there is not the structure there to support that. It is very important that we show that it is the unions, above all, who want to listen to their problems and show the way to some collective solutions. It is only through face to face conversations that we can challenge those barriers. The best way of achieving a better standard of living for everybody is for trade unions to work collectively, across nationalities and communities. It is also vital that we use existing resources in schools and colleges. We should organise 10 to 20 min talks in a schools, colleges or, for example on ESOL courses, just to explain what a trade union is and why it is essential for migrants to join. I think in long term that will bring a lot of new members.”
For more details about the project and how to get involved, please contact:
Daniel Krzyszczak
Tel: 0191 2275566
Email: dkrzyszczak@tuc.org.uk